Shipping container



1936 o. M. BABCOCK SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 27, 1935' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A SHIPPING CONTAINER,

Oliver M. Babcock, Evanston, Ill.

Application February 27, 1935, Serial No. 8,549

11 Claims.

The present invention is an improvement over that. shown and described in Patent No. 1,991,071, issued to me February 12, 1935, for Shipping container.

Among the objects of my invention is to so form a shipping container of fibreboard or the like that it may be folded into a fiat condition for shipping purposes. 4 I Another object is to so form and connect the side members to the end members that when they are folded fiat there will be none of the sheet material bent up into exposed flanges or angles of such nature. as .to interfere with stacking of the collapsed containers to the best advantage in shipping or storing.

A further object is to transversely scorethe sheet material of the sides of the box at each. end adjacent where they are attached to the sides of the reinforcing member of the end, so they will bend along such scored lines when collapsing the container.

A still further object is to provide a pair of side members each having a top flap and a bottom flap, and a slot at each end of the hinge line of each of said flaps, said slots being of a length substantially equal to the combined thickness of the adjacent end member and its reinforcing means, so that the end portions of all of said flaps will lie approximately fiat when the container is collapsed.

Another object is the provision or a shipping container that can be collapsed into a flat condition for shipping and storing, and yet possess great strength and efliciency when formed into and used as a shipping container;

A further object is the provision of a shipping a container which has some of its walls reinforced with wood members, and which shipping con tainer is so constructed that it can be collapsed into a flat condition for shipping and storing, and yet can be assembled and closed in the same manner and with'the same standard equipment now in common use.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will later more fully appear. I

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodilines the positions that would be occupied by the side member i having integral therewith along its ment I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping con- 5 tainer embodying my invention, the flaps of both the ends and the sides being shown closed.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing all of the top flaps open and showing in dotted bottom flaps of the side members when open.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the end members with its integral flaps.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the side members with its integral flaps, and showing the scoring .and slots.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of my shipping containers in collapsed condition but for the sake of cleamess is shown just before it reaches fully collapsed position; I

Fig. 6 is a. longitudinal vertical section through one of my shipping containers in completely collapsed position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail showing laid out fiat those portions that would form one corner of the container shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the parts shown in Fig. 7, but showing them with the side member bent at right-angles to the end member and prior to the bending in of the fiaps.- 30

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail similar to Fig. 8, but showing the flaps bent into container-forming position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective .view of one of the end edges of my shipping container showing a modified form.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, my improved container is shown to comprise on each lateral side, a

upper edge a top flap 2 having a hinged movement because of scoring line 3.. Side member i also is formed along its bottom edge with a bottom flap t having a hinged movement with relation to side-member l by reason of the scoring line 5. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 my container also comprises at each end an end member 6, having integral therewith and hingedly connected thereto along its upper edge, by reason of a scoring line i, atop flap a, and at its bottom edge a similar bottom flap ii having a hinged action by reason of the scoring line it. Each end member 5 is reinforced on one face with cleats ll, l2, l3

and Hi, which are preferably placed on the outer face, although I wish it understood they may be placed on the inner face without departing from the spirit of my invention. Also, if desired, I may use only. two cleats instead of four (any two of the four shown), or I may replace the strips with a wood board which would be substantially of the same area as the end wall and of any desired thickness, without departing from the spirit of my invention. When placed on the outer face of end members 6 the cleats II, I2, I3 and I4 make very convenient hand grips to enable the container to be used as a delivery box, as well as means to enable the container to be lifted by hooks or other hoisting apparatus without injuring the filled container.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that at the ends of score line 3 of side member I, I have provided slots I5 and I6, and at each end of score line 5 I have provided slots I1 and I8. These slots are of a depth or length substantially equal to the thickness of the reinforcing cleats and end sheet on the end members I. Extending transversely between the inner ends of slots I6 and I8 is a score line I9, and extending transversely between the inner ends of slots I5 and I1 is a score line 20. That portion of side member I lying between slots I5 and I1 and score line 20 and the adjacent free edge, and indicated by the reference numeral 2|, is to be tacked, nailed, stapled or otherwise secured to the edge face 22 of end cleat I2, as shown in Fig. 2. That portion lying between slots I6 and I8, score line I9 and the adjacent edge, and indicated by reference numeral 23, is similarly secured to the edge face of the adjacent cleat on the end member 6 at the far end of the container shown in Fig. 2.

The above has been described in connection with the near side member I shown in Fig. 2. The side member I on the far side of the container shown in Fig. 2 is similarly formed, and is similarly fastened to the vertical edges of the adjacent cleats of the end members 6. The ends of the side members I being securely nailed, tacked, stapled or otherwise fastened to the end members 6 as described above, the two bottom flaps 9 of the end members 6 are folded inwardly, after which the two bottom flaps 4 of the side members I are folded inwardly over the inwardly folded bottom flaps of the end members. The container is then ready to be filled, and after being filled the two top flaps 8 of the end members are folded inwardly and the two top flaps 2 of the side members then folded inwardly and down upon the top flaps of the end members. The in wardly folded flaps of the bottom and top of the container may, if desired, be glued or otherwise secured in place by passing through any of the well known sealing machines, or otherwise fastened as desired.

It is important to note (see Figs. 5 and 6) that due to the transverse score lines I!) and 20 in each of the two side members I, and the slots I5, I6, I! and I8 in each of said side members, the container, when each of the top and bottom flaps of the two side members and the two end members are opened up to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may be collapsed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 (and partially shown in Fig. '7). During such collapsing the side members I will bend at one end along the score line 20, and at the other end along the score line I9, into the form of flanges 24, 25, 26 and 21 (see Fig. 6). During and upon completion of this collapsing, the material along the inner edge of each of slots I5, I6, I1 and I8 will be bent away from the plane of side members I to form the flanges 24, 25, 26 and 21 just referred to, while the material from the outer edge of each of said slots to the free edge of the respective flap-that is, the material forming the ends of the flaps-will remain approximately flat as seen in Figs. 5 and 7, with one end flatly overlying the other.

This construction permits the containers when collapsed into the form shown in Fig. 6, to be stacked or stored flatly on top of one another, or stacked in staggering piles to cause the end cleats to fall in such position as to most efliciently accomplish such stacking.

Were it not for the slots I5, I6, I! and I8, the ends of the top and bottom flaps of the two side members I would also be bent into angular flanges during the bending of flanges 24, 25, 26 and 21 when collapsing the container, and thus greatly interfere with the flat and convenient stacking of the collapsed containers. However, with'the use of these slots the ends of the side member flaps will nicely and smoothly interlap with the adjacent ends of the end member flaps as will be clearly understood in Fig. 7.

When the collapsed container has been opened up into rectangular form the corners of the container will assume the position shown in Fig. 8, ready for the flap of the end member to be folded inwardly and the flap of the side member to be folded thereover as shown inFig. 9. Or if the ends of the side member flaps be cut off as shown in Fig. 10, the end member flaps may be folded either inside of or outside of the side member flaps as desired. While in Fig. 10 I have shown the end flap as being folded inside of the side flaps, it is obvious that with the construction there shown the side flaps if desired may be folded inwardly first and then the end flaps folded over the outside of the side flaps. While Fig. 10 only shows one end edge of the shipping container, it is to be understood that the other three similar end edges may be similarly formed. This construction eliminates the necessity for slots.

As stated above the flaps may be sealed in closed position in a machine or by hand or, if desired, the ends of the top and bottom flaps of the side members may be fastened to the adjacent cleats of the end member by nails, staples, tacks, or other suitable fastening means (not shown).

I also wish it understood that I may if desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention, extend the score lines I9 and 20 to the outer edges of the top and bottom flaps 2 and 4 of the side members I, and thus do away with the slots I5, I6, I! and I8. In other words, increase the length of each of the score lines I9 and 20 until they reach the longitudinal free edges of the side flaps 2 and 4.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved shipping container of flbreboard or the like with reinforced ends, and so constructed that it may be quickly and easily collapsed into fiat condition to permit stacking for storing or shipping, and when desired, be capable of being instantly opened up into form for use as a shipping container.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

1. A shipping container comprising a pair of side members each having a top and bottom flap, a pair of reinforced end members each having a top and bottom flap, each of the side members adjacent each end having a scored portion, and a slot at each end of the scored portions, whereby the container may be collapsed into flatwise condition to permit stacking for shipping, storing or the like.

2. A shipping container comprising a pair of side members each having a top and bottom flap, a pair of reinforced end members each having a top and bottom flap, each of the side. members adjacent each end having a transversely extending scored portion, each of the side member flaps being hingedly connected to the side member with a scored portion, said last-mentioned scored portions each having a slot extending from said transversely extending scored portion to the free edge of the end of saidside members to permit the container to be collapsed for shipping or storing purposes.

3. A shpping container of fibreboard or the like comprising a pair of side members each having a top and bottom flap, a pair of reinforced end members each having a top and bottom fiap, and a slot at each corner of each :side member to facilitate collapsing of the container for shipping purposes. l

4. A shipping container of flbreboard or the like comprising a pair of side members each having a top and bottom flap, a pair of reinforced end members each having a top and bottom flap,

each of the top and bottom flaps of the side mem- V bers being integrally connected to its side member along ascored line, and a slot formed in each end of each of said scored lines.

5. In a shipping container of fibreboard or the like, a pair of side members each having a top and bottom flap, a. pair of reinforced end members each having a top and bottom flap, each of said side members having adjacent each of its ends a scored portion and in each of its four corners a slot to facilitate collapsing of the container for shipping or storing. I

6. A shipping container of fibreboard or the like, comprising a pair of side members each having integrally formed therewith a top flap and a bottom flap, a longitudinal score line extending along the union of each of said flaps with its respective side member to facilitate the bending of said flaps with relation to the side members, a pair of end members each having integrally formed therewith a top flap and a bottom flap scored at their junction with the end members to permit bending with relation to the end members,

each of said end members having wood reinforc ing means on one face thereof, the ends of each side member being'fastened to the reinforcing means of an end member, each of said side members having adjacent each end a verticallyextending score line to facilitate the collapsing of said container. LA shipping container of fibreboard or the like, comprising a pair of side members each having integrally formed therewith a top flap and a bottom flap, a longitudinal score line extending along the union of each of said flaps with its respective side member to facilitate the bending ofv said flaps with relation to the side members, a pair of end members each having integrally formed therewith a top flap and a bottom flap scored at their junction with the end members to permit bending with relation tdthe end members, each of said end members having reinforcing means on one face thereof, the ends of each side member being fastened to the reinforcing means of an end member, each of said side members having adjacent each end a vertically extendingseore line, and an outwardly extending slot at each end of each of said vertically extending score lines to facilitate the collapsing of said container.

8. A shipping container at flbreboard or the like, comprising a pair of side members each having integrally formed therewith a top flap and a bottom flap, a longitudinal score line extending along the union of each of said flaps with its respective side member to facilitate the bending of said flaps with relation to the side members, a. pair end members each having integrally formed therewith-a top flap and a bottom flap scored at their junction with the end members to permit bending with relation to the end members, each of said end members having reinforcing means on one face thereof, the ends of each side member being fastened to the reinforcing means of an end membeneach of said side members having adjacent each end a vertically extending score line and an outwardly extending slot at each end of each of said vertically extending score lines to facilitate the collapsing of said,

container, each of said slots being of a length substantially equal to the combined thickness of the end-member reinforcing means to which the ends of the side members are fastened, and the thicknessof the end member sheet.

9. A shipping container of fibreboard or the like, comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of top and bottom flaps integral therewith, said side members and said flaps being adapted to form the two sides and portions pf the sheet to which its wood reinforcing means is attached, and to which Wood'reinforcing means the adjacent end of the side member is fastened, and a slot at each longitudinal bending corner of each side member, said slots extending from an end of the vertically extending score line to the end of the side member whereby the container can be collapsed into flat condition for shippingor storing.

10. In a shipping container, a pair of opposite separate side walls, each having a top and bottom flap foldably secured to two of its opposite edges, and a pair of opposite rigid separate end walls each having wood reinforcing means along a plurality of its marginal edges, and each end wall also having a iiap foldably secured to each of 55 two of its opposite edges, said walls being secured together in box relation, each of said side walls v having vertical scored lines adjacent its end, said scored lines extending between the top and bottom flaps of said side walls to permitthe container to be collapsed into a fiatwise condition for stacking, shipping, storing or the like. i

11. A shipping container constructed of fibreboard, corrugated fibreboard or'the like, comprising six walls, two opposite walls of said six wal being reinforced withwood members, and two opposite walls adjacent to the two reinforced w'alls having scored lines inside and parallel to said reinforcing members so as to permit the container to be collapsed in a fiatwise condition for shipping, stacking, storing or the like.

.- OLIVER M. BaBceeK. 

